Concentration - improvements other than pre-shot routine?

[eng82]

Finally had a couple of rounds this year now the weather has improved. Got down to 19 from 24 last year and working hard over the winter to continue improvement.

My main issue (apart from 3 putts which i am working on) on putting a score together is blowing up massively on 2 or 3 holes a round where i have 8,9,10's they are not at the end of the round but can be random holes throughout the round. I am happy with my technique but think its a concentration issue.

Apart from pre-shot routine what else do people try and do to ensure they repeat their swing time after time?

 

[Bratty]

Finally had a couple of rounds this year now the weather has improved. Got down to 19 from 24 last year and working hard over the winter to continue improvement.

My main issue (apart from 3 putts which i am working on) on putting a score together is blowing up massively on 2 or 3 holes a round where i have 8,9,10's they are not at the end of the round but can be random holes throughout the round. I am happy with my technique but think its a concentration issue.

Apart from pre-shot routine what else do people try and do to ensure they repeat their swing time after time?

Repeating swing time after time is the holy grail! I can't, but then again, neither can the pros!

There are times where I will break my round up into 3 or 4 hole mini-rounds. That way, if I have a blow up, I can wipe it from my minds as being a different round. I've found this invaluable, as it helps keep me in the buffer at worst. I used to ruin medals by thinking, well that's a big 9 on the card, so round ruined. Now I think, buffer, buffer, buffer.

Now, to concentration... do you repeat your pre-shot routines on every shot? The times you don't are the times you're guaranteed to have stopped concentrating. In theory, a pre-shot routine engages your brain and switches it to "shot" mode, so in many respects it ought to be enough (remember, not even the pros have a repeatable swing).

In addition, I also use imagery, meaning I don't just pick a spot in the distance, I pick a specific point on the fairway, and then remember back to when I hit a great shot, how I felt, hearing my pp's saying "good shot", the weather, the sounds. Immerse yourself in that memory and then hit it. You may be surprised at how well it works.

Age-old advice is don't think, "I always slice it here", think in a positive way. Something like "I hit a lovely drive on the last, let's do that again". Forget the bad memories of a specific hole and apply positive ones from elsewhere. Also, another tip would be to make sure your eye doesn't wander to the trees on the left, the bunker on the right, the water in front of you. General principle seems to be that the last thing your eyes register is what your brains remembers. Not always true, but...

Hope any of that waffle is useful.

 

[AmandaJR]

It's a tough one and staying in the moment, taking one shot at a time and each on its merit is the mantra but hard to do in practice. Breaking up 18 holes into sets of 3 can help. Today HID wasn't playing well and I knew it was loss of focus so (with one eye on our pairs comp tomorrow!) I told him "5 holes left - you have to get 11 points". The difference was amazing and despite a 1 point to start he then got back to back birdies and finished with 11 points - a final 3 putt denying him the 12 he should have got!

 

[Crow]

Blow-up holes are often caused by being over ambitious with the recovery shot and turning the first bad shot into a catalogue of them.

If you play a bad shot just be sure get the ball back in play with your next one and don't try for the hero recovery.
It's accepting a dropped shot but you then stand a chance of making sure it's only one dropped shot instead of 3, 4 or even 5.

 

[Andy808]

I used to suffer a similar problem and found I was mentally drained by the end of a round especially if I was shooting a good score.
After a long conversation with my pro he said to stop thinking about the round between shots. If I played with my usual playing partners we started chatting about anything but golf between shots, I stopped looking at the score card constantly and didn't add up my score after nine holes.
I still take my mind off the round between shots in different ways and I don't look at the card very often but I do add my score up after the front nine so I know roughly how it's going.

 

[the_coach]

Finally had a couple of rounds this year now the weather has improved. Got down to 19 from 24 last year and working hard over the winter to continue improvement.

My main issue (apart from 3 putts which i am working on) on putting a score together is blowing up massively on 2 or 3 holes a round where i have 8,9,10's they are not at the end of the round but can be random holes throughout the round. I am happy with my technique but think its a concentration issue.

Apart from pre-shot routine what else do people try and do to ensure they repeat their swing time after time?

Have a trigger to go into aim mode, always aim from behind the ball, always repeat your routine hugely important as it gives your brain the signal to engage back into concentration mode, you have to switch off on the walks between as you can't concentrate solid for 3 to 4 hours.

So trigger could be as soon as your behind the ball picking the target in the distance (whether that's the flag or not) a spot a foot or so in front of the ball, line the 3 points up then into pre shot routine. Some folks just 'tug' on their glove to remind them their back in game mode.

Faldo used to imagine a 6ft square his ball was in, soon as he 'stepped' into it he was in 'shot' mode, visualizing the shot, picking the aim points, step into address, his routine waggle/s, rehearsal swing to fit his visualization of the shot, one last look at line/target and pull the trigger, make the swing .

I do much the same, find aim point, 'see' the shot make a rehearsal swing of exactly how I want to swing through the ball (not just a practice swing) settle into my address posture, 2 looks at target, soon as my eyes are back to the ball, make the swing.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

Carl Morris's Apple app (I think it's called the mind factor) is excellent, in my opinion.

A consistent swing is impossible, not even tiger woods or any other pro can repeat a perfect swing every time - but you can control your mind. That's the thrust of his advice and has some very good practical tips for achieving it.

 

[eng82]

Thanks everyone

think the not compounding bad shots and 'taking the medicine' is definitely one to work on. Knowing your limits is the key a lot of the time and I probably get too ambitious without thinking

I try and not focus on score and put pressure on myself but think this is something to keep working on

will have a look for that app

 

[davidy233]

Play as if you don't care - it's just one golf shot at a time, forget the one you've just hit and don't think about golf in between shots.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Carl Morris's Apple app (I think it's called the mind factor) is excellent, in my opinion.

A consistent swing is impossible, not even tiger woods or any other pro can repeat a perfect swing every time - but you can control your mind. That's the thrust of his advice and has some very good practical tips for achieving it.

I have the Karl Morris app on my phone. Excellent and very simple. I trust my pre-shot routine to keep my mind (monkey brain) quiet and the work I've done in lessons on the range and in practice to deliver as good as swing as I can. As long as I've done everything I can to prepare and execute, then I'm happy to accept the outcome

 

[pokerjoke]

Finally had a couple of rounds this year now the weather has improved. Got down to 19 from 24 last year and working hard over the winter to continue improvement.

My main issue (apart from 3 putts which i am working on) on putting a score together is blowing up massively on 2 or 3 holes a round where i have 8,9,10's they are not at the end of the round but can be random holes throughout the round. I am happy with my technique but think its a concentration issue.

Apart from pre-shot routine what else do people try and do to ensure they repeat their swing time after time?

I disagree with you a little.
It almost definitely technique and concentration.
8/9/10s are caused by a poor t-shot into trees,oob rough etc.
The next shot then becomes 3 off the tee,a hack out the rough,maybe again not reaching the short stuff,
or a shot out sideways from under the trees.
Maybe an iron into the bunker,then a shot being left in the bunker.
A duffed chip and maybe 3 or 4 putts.
So technique is definitely an issue.
Many players and I have been one in the past,is after a bad shot maybe trying the impossible
recovery shot.
I had 2 bad holes on sunday a 6 on a par 5 and a 5 on a par 3,all because I drifted off thinking about
my house move,a total lack of concentration.

 

[Dave B]

Preparation before you play can also play a big part. If I rush straight from work and go straight into playing mode it normally takes 5-6 holes before I get the office out of my head and settle down.

Little things like getting to the course early, having a good stretch and warm up, a bit of putting practice and having plenty of drink and food in the bag to boost your energy can help.

Once you get on the course have a good pre shot routine and make sure if you are held up you take a few extra swings while your waiting.

Make the game as easy as possible by choosing the right shots so they open up the fairway/hole with the easiest approach. A lot of people when faced with a 200-220 yd shot will take a wood or hybrid and go for it, however the wise shot can often be an 8 or 9 iron followed by a wedge particularly if there are hazards.

You can concentrate and have a pre shot routine but thinking your way around the course and taking the right shots for the right reasons will save you getting into trouble and keep you focused.

 

[Bratty]

Once you get on the course have a good pre shot routine and make sure if you are held up you take a few extra swings while your waiting.

I find that distracts me. Bob Rotella suggests that if you're waiting, it's better to not practice swing, or even think about the shot. The extra swings could throw your pre-shot routine.

 

[HarryMonk]

I could have done with some of these tips today, lack of concentration cost me one shot after another.

The fog this morning put us behind so we were rushing round (only had time for nine) back tomorrow for second nine and will be in a much better frame of mind. Thanks guys

 

[Dave B]

Bratty are you less than 40?

Some of us have to have practice swings so we don't seize up when we're waiting.

It's usually when we're getting held up by the 20 yrs olds driving 300yds, missing the fairways and then having to spend 5 minutes trying to find their ball

 

[Bratty]

Bratty are you less than 40?

Some of us have to have practice swings so we don't seize up when we're waiting.

It's usually when we're getting held up by the 20 yrs olds driving 300yds, missing the fairways and then having to spend 5 minutes trying to find their ball

I'll be 40 in September. Expect extra practice swings from October!

 

[HarryMonk]

I could have done with some of these tips today, lack of concentration cost me one shot after another.

The fog this morning put us behind so we were rushing round (only had time for nine) back tomorrow for second nine and will be in a much better frame of mind. Thanks guys

I thank you all, worked like a dream only hit one bad iron in 9 holes pre shot routine breaks between shots.

Thanks again:cheers:

 

[williamalex1]

Play as if you don't care - it's just one golf shot at a time, forget the one you've just hit and don't think about golf in between shots.

That's what big Jack the golden bear said, but it's easier said than done.